


Like a Flower Seeking the Sun

by Artikaa



Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, F/M, Romance, Spoiler free!, aka the EVERYONE IS HAPPY AU, everyone else will show up too, rokunor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-11-23 05:50:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11396613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artikaa/pseuds/Artikaa
Summary: “Anywho, about that Rangetsu. What was with that look he was giving you?” Magilou gave her foot a light stomp against the sidewalk, feigning annoyance. “Any woman on this street would faint if he so much as looked their way! Old ladies love him!”“I—I don’t know,” Eleanor answered honestly, her cheeks heating up again.“Yeah, it was probably because you were staring.”“I was not!”“Oh, Sweetie.” Magilou laughed heartily, clutching her midsection as she doubled over. She recovered quickly, her expression serious except for pursed lips. “You were staring.”---A Rokunor Flower Shop AU❀Updates When I Can❀





	1. Gardenias

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, the Rokunor flower shop au that nobody asked for but that I sure am delivering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gardenias: Secret Love

Eleanor wiped the soil from her hands on her apron and stepped back to admire her work. The potted plants outside the shop were freshly rearranged, the faces of flowers beaming up at the sun. Eleanor let out a deep breath of satisfaction. The pots had needed rotating, and she was sure that if she’d gone another day without moving them they would have begun to bend at the stem towards the light.

Soil dusted the sidewalk and the sill of the windows, so she grabbed the broom leaning against the doorway and began sweeping it into a neat pile. She pushed the pile into a flowerbed on the side of the building just as the sun shifted in the sky, its rays falling perfectly on Abbey street. Eleanor wiped a thin line of sweat from her brow and tightened her pigtails. She didn’t spend much time on her appearance, but she considered the pigtails a staple of herself. Ever since she was a little girl her mother would pull her red hair up in such a way, and as an adult she felt as though she wasn’t ready for the day without the tension of bands in her hair.

“You’re late!”

Eleanor spun at the voice of a man, her eyes falling to the sushi restaurant across the street. The boss was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed, his face twisted up in annoyance. Eleanor followed his gaze down the street, her heart leaping despite herself.

The boss’s youngest son was walking down the street with a large bag of rice over his bare shoulder, a glean of sweat emphasizing the fact that his shirt had been removed and thrown over his shoulder with the rice.

Eleanor bit the inside of her cheek. The son laughed at his father’s berating and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, his long black hair loosening itself from his ponytail. “Sorry, dad, this morning’s shipment was a bit late. Won’t happen again.”

The boss sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. They both knew it would happen again. “Just bring in the rice, Rokurou, so we can get started.”

They entered the restaurant, leaving Eleanor standing in the street. She watched Rokurou’s toned back as he threw down the bag just inside the door and turned to slide it closed. They made eye contact.

Eleanor immediately looked away, remembering the broom in her hands, and started sweeping at nothing. Her cheeks were hot, and in the corner of her eye she could see the door still open. She glanced up and he was still there, staring at her with an amused smile.

"Rokurou!”

“I’m coming!” he yelled back inside. He smiled at her again and gave her a slight bow of his head before sliding the door all the way shut.

Eleanor’s hands flew to her face, covering her reddened cheeks. The broom clattered against the sidewalk and she rushed to pick it up, almost knocking heads with the woman in front of her.

“Ooh, the Rangetsu boy? Quite the eye candy, isn’t he?”

Eleanor backed away before she could collide with the small woman, who was leaning against the store as though she had been there the whole time. “Magilou!” she said, taking a deep breath to calm her heart. “Where did you come from?”

“You know, here and there.” She winked at Eleanor, throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder for dramatic effect. “Anywho, about that Rangetsu. What was with that look he was giving you?” She gave her foot a light stomp against the sidewalk, feigning annoyance. “Any woman on this street would _faint_ if he so much as looked their way! Old ladies love him!”

“I—I don’t know,” Eleanor answered honestly, her cheeks heating up again.

“Yeah, it was probably because you were staring.”

“I was not!”

“Oh, Sweetie.” Magilou laughed heartily, clutching her midsection as she doubled over. She recovered quickly, her expression serious except for pursed lips. “You were staring.”

Eleanor retrieved her broom from the cement, turning towards the door. “Are you here to buy something today, or are you loitering again?”

“Oh, come on! Don’t kick me out before I’ve even made it inside, I haven’t heard any juicy bits yet!”

Eleanor chuckled. Magilou was a staple of Abbey street, though from what she gathered nobody was sure exactly what she did there. “You can hang around until customers start coming through, I don’t want you scaring them off.”

“Eleanor, you’re so mean,” Magilou said, though she sounded like she didn’t mean it. “I have somewhere to be, anyway. Catch ya later.”

Eleanor shook her head, opening the door to the flower shop. The door hit a small bell, its light chiming echoing among the dozens of bouquets and arrangements the store had to offer. Eleanor breathed in deeply, grounding herself in the smell of dirt and leaves. Rokurou’s dark eyes and devilish smirk crawled into her mind and she shook her head. Magilou teased her about it, but on this she was actually right: Eleanor had a crush on the guy who worked across the street. But she had never spoken to him, and she didn’t even like sushi, so as far as she was concerned that was all there would ever be to it.

The door chimed and Eleanor turned to greet the customer with a wide smile. It took her a moment to recognize her coworker without an apron, but when he smiled at her she recognized his bright green eyes, shielded behind a black rimmed pair of glasses.

“Oscar,” she said, relaxing her shoulders. “I thought you had the day off today?”

“I do,” he said, walking towards the back. “I’m just checking the schedule for next week. Teresa wants me to go on vacation with her.”

Eleanor shifted her eyes down at the mention of his sister. They had all gone to the same private school, and Teresa had quickly come to dislike Eleanor once Oscar started showing interest in her. But that was all in the past now.

Oscar popped his head out from the back of the store. “Oh, I saw the new arrangement out front. It looks great, Eleanor, I could tell you did it.”

She beamed and thanked him, moving behind the counter. She flipped open the small notebook there, moving aside the fraying piece of fabric that kept the page marked. There was only one pickup listed for the day, written neatly in Eleanor’s handwriting.

She had a while to get the arrangement prepared, and she spent the time making sure to select the best flowers they had. This was for one of their regular customers, so she took her time to make it perfect for him. He mixed it up sometimes, but today it was the usual bouquet: sunflowers and baby’s breath, with a few scattered white daisies.

No sooner had she arranged the petals just perfectly than the bell above the door chimed and he stepped in. Eleanor greeted him with a genuine smile. “Hello, Eizen! I just finished your bouquet. Do you want the usual card, too?”

“Ah, I might change it up a little.” He walked over to the small display on the counter, where about two dozen different cardstock rectangles were available to select from. Eleanor wrote down the completed details in the notebook, tucking the fabric back between the pages and checking the rest of the week’s orders. They were free for a few days, which she found as both a blessing and a curse. She liked to move and be busy, but it was also nice to sit in the shop surrounded by flowers and just relax.

Her eyes darted to the small shelf under the counter, where a small stack of novels sat waiting to be read. After Eizen left she would pull up a chair and read for a while.

“What do you think of this one?” he asked, handing her one of the little rectangles. It had the outline of petals cut out on one side of it and layered cardstock on the other side in the shape of a daisy.

“I think it’ll look really cute with the flowers you picked out.” He smiled, his clear blue eyes narrowing as he thought of what to write. Eleanor reached behind the counter and pulled out a small box.

“I’ll do it,” he said, and she sighed in relief. Eizen chuckled. “Oscar’s calligraphy is better than yours, but I’ve been practicing, you know.” Eleanor watched as Eizen slowly and deliberately led the ink across the card, his gaze unwavering. Eleanor found herself holding her breath so as not to break his focus.

When he was satisfied he capped the ink and handed the box back to her. “It’s beautiful, Eizen,” she said, admiring his drying work.

He smirked, raising his shoulders as though to say it was no big deal, but she could tell he was proud of himself. The ink would dry quickly, but the two passed the time by talking. He was buying the flowers for his sister, as usual, and he would have them sent to her though they didn’t live far apart. Eleanor never asked why he wouldn’t take them to her personally, or why he never came in with her, but she figured it wasn’t her place to ask so she didn’t.

“You know,” Eizen said, “the sunflowers remind me most of her.” His long, slender fingers caressed one of the soft petals of the bouquet while Eleanor carefully wrapped the card around a stem with a few pieces of colorful string. “They stand for adoration and dedication, which makes them perfect. And the baby’s breath—innocence and undying love. And—”

“The daises are loyal love, innocence, and hope, right?” Eleanor put her chin in her fingers as she recalled what Eizen had told her last time about the flowers. She reached towards the stack of books and pulled the top one out, holding it up so Eizen could see. “I’ve been reading the book you let me borrow about flowers and their meanings. It’s really amazing!”

Eizen was a little taken aback when Eleanor interjected, but he seemed proud when she pulled out the book. “It is, isn’t it? Have you found a few favorites already?”

“I have!” She flipped open the book, searching the different flowers. “I really like the forget-me-nots because of this one line here,” she pointed at one spot on the page and Eizen chuckled.

“If I remember correctly it’s ‘a connection that lasts throughout time,’ right?”

“Right, and this one,” she flipped through a few pages, landing on the gardenia. “Secret love. It sounds so romantic, don’t you think?”

“Everything about the language of flowers is romantic. Even the rhododendron is a beautiful flower, and yet it stands for danger. The yellow carnation for disappointment, the zinnia for thoughts of absent friends—even the saddest of meanings is romantic in a way when told through flowers.”

Eizen stopped himself, glancing down at his watch. “I’m afraid I’m in a hurry today, Eleanor, so I’ve got to get going. We can talk more about the wondrous language of flowers next time.”

Eleanor laughed, handing him his bouquet. “Thanks, Eizen. See you next time!”

She watched him leave and flipped through the flower book on the counter. The bell chimed again.

"Did you forget something?” She asked, her eyes flitting up from the page. She froze at the sight of Rokurou beelining for the counter, his brows knitted in what could only be anger.

Eleanor sat up straight, her throat suddenly dry. Why was he here? What had she done to upset him? Eleanor thought back to that morning, when he had caught her staring at him. This couldn’t be because of that _could it?_ He strode to the counter and slammed his hand on it, causing Eleanor to jump, clutching her hands to her chest. His dark eyes were narrowed, fierce, and though his intense gaze made her heart speed she was too afraid to acknowledge it.

“I need a bouquet.”

Silence. Eleanor blinked while Rokurou fumed, his jaw tightening as he clenched his teeth and released them. “I’m sorry,” she said, tentatively, “you want… to place an order?”

“Yeah,” he said, suddenly sounding unsure. He looked around at the flowers. “This is a flower shop, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said, trying to shake off her nerves. She paused, trying to wrap her head around the situation and approach it calmly and rationally. “How, uh, how can I help you, Rokurou?”

The tension in his brow dropped, and confusion faintly replaced it. “You know my name?”

Eleanor wanted to scream. Now she had _really_ messed up. “Yeah,” she said quickly, trying to cover it. “You work at Rangetsu Style, right? I see you sometimes and I overheard—”

“What’s your name?” Rokurou cut her off, those eyes seeming to pierce straight through her.

She swallowed. “My name?”

Rokurou heard the waver in her voice and backed off the counter a little, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah. Sorry, just, since you know mine, I figured I should know yours too.” He opened one eye, peeking out at her sheepishly.

“Eleanor,” she said. “Eleanor Hume.”

A smile spread across his face. “Eleanor.” Her name rolled off his tongue and Eleanor could feel herself turning red. “I like it.”

He stared at her, smiling, and after a few long seconds she cleared her throat to push the attention off of herself. “So, a bouquet?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, the tension returning to his shoulders as though remembering his anger. “Flowers have meanings, yeah? I want to send, like, a really _angry_ bouquet.”

Eleanor blinked slowly, trying to process his words in a way that made sense. “You want to send flowers to someone you hate?”

“Well, I don’t necessarily hate him. He’s my brother.” He shook his head. “I won’t get into the details. My family is complicated, to say the least.”

Eleanor nodded though she wasn’t sure what she was agreeing to. “Well, let’s see.” She pulled the book on the counter between them and flipped through it, looking for some index to direct her to what they needed. Her brow knitted together as she thought, skimming through flowers and trying to picture what would look good together. She read the line beside Tansy and snapped her fingers. “This one means hostile thoughts.” She traced her finger across the page to the picture and paused.

Rokurou leaned over the counter, their heads close so he could see the picture. They were both silent. “It looks like a weed,” he said.

“It does.”

Rokurou started to laugh, and Eleanor found herself laughing along with him. “Well, what about that one?” he asked, his finger pressing against a light purple flower. “It says ‘Beware a deadly foe.’” His eyes lit up and he lifted his free hand to point his thumb at himself, grinning. “That’s me!”

Eleanor’s laughter intensified, pointing at the details under the flower so he would read it while she tried to catch her breath.

He only got more excited. “It’s poisonous? Almost every part of it is deadly. It’s perfect!”

Eleanor shook her head and he chuckled. “We don’t have that, Rokurou, it’s Monkshood. That’s Wolf’s Bane.”

He looked disappointed, but he was still smiling. His eyes caught hers and he just stood there, watching her laugh. “Well, I don’t think any other flower is gonna cut it, Eleanor. It’s Wolfshook or nothing.”

She laughed until there were tears in the corners of her eyes, and he laughed along with her, his eyes watching her face the whole time. She couldn’t keep her eyes open, her delicate hands were clamped over her mouth, and her laughter was so genuine that Rokurou forgot his anger.

Finally, Eleanor’s hands moved from her lips to wipe the corners of her eyes. Her face was flushed from laughter. He smirked. “Come on, Eleanor, that wasn’t even that funny. You should hear my good jokes.”

Eleanor took a deep breath and straightened her back, her face perfectly composed. “You’re right, it wasn’t funny.”

Rokurou’s hand jumped to his chest, suddenly offended, and Eleanor giggled. “Don’t play with my emotions,” he said, grinning. He stretched his arms over his head, sighing. “You know, I think I’m over it. I feel a lot better now that I’ve gotten to talk to you.”

Eleanor blushed, but she hoped Rokurou would think she was still red from laughing. “Well, I’m glad to have helped either way.”

Rokurou leaned on the counter, flipping through the pages of the book as his eyes idly skimmed the words. Eleanor felt curiosity rising in her, and before she could stop herself she was speaking. “Why did you come in here?”

Rokurou looked up at her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why did you have a fight with your brother and decide to buy him flowers? People don’t really do that, you know.”

He tore his eyes up from the page, meeting her gaze. Her heart skipped, but she suppressed it. “It’s going to sound stupid.”

“I don’t care.”

He rubbed the back of his head, looking away from her. “We fought in the restaurant. He and my dad were both yelling at me, but I didn’t listen. I walked straight through the restaurant and out of the door.” He glanced at her, catching her eye, but looked away again. He sighed. “I saw that blonde guy leaving and he just looked so damn happy. And I thought of this morning, when I saw you, and I guess… I don’t know. It felt like jealousy, but it was more instinctual than that. I wanted to come over here, so I did.”

He looked at her. “I guess it wasn’t really about the flowers.”

Rokurou moved to an arrangement by the side of the counter, pulling one long stemmed flower from the others. He moved back to her slowly, twirling it between his fingers.

Eleanor struggled to find the right words. “What do you mean?” She asked finally, watching him as he stopped in front of her with the flower.

“Honestly,” he said, “I don’t know.”

He held the flower up between them, locking eyes with her. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give you this flower back if you let me come back some time.”

Eleanor slowly moved her hand towards the stem. “I would let you come back regardless, you know. I’m not trying to keep anyone out.” Their fingers brushed as he handed the flower to her, and Eleanor could have sworn he hesitated in drawing away.

“At least this way you get something out of it too.”

She smirked. “What, I get to not be robbed of a single flower?”

He smiled gently. “Yeah. I _would_ steal it, you know. I’m a bad boy at heart.”

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes. Her fingers clutched the flower. “Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you again, then.”

He smiled and turned towards the door “Yeah,” he said. “You will.”

The door closed behind him with a soft ringing. Eleanor let her eyes fall to the flower in her hands. It was a swirl of white petals with a few thick, green leaves canopying the flower. A gardenia.

She pressed a hand to her face, trying to regain some composure. It was still seeping in that the entire exchange had really happened. She put the flower down in the open book in front of her and her eyes flitted to the page it rested on. The book was open to the gardenia, and the thin text under the picture caught her attention: _Secret love._


	2. Anemones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anemone: Anticipation

Eleanor watched fat drops of rain hit the glass of the window. The streams of water pooled in the sill and rushed over, raining down on the apartments below hers. The reflection of her green eyes caught her attention. Her chin was in her hands, a towel piled atop her head. A few loose strands of red hair stuck out from the towel, smelling of sweet shampoo. Eleanor sighed, her breath fogging against the window.

She had the day off from work, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She tried to convince herself that she _wasn’t_ thinking about it, but she was. Had he _meant_ to hand her a gardenia? Was it intentional? Had he even read the entry in the short time he was flipping through the book?

Regardless, she was blushing again.

Eleanor was snapped from her thoughts by the ringing of her phone. She walked to the bedroom, discarding the towel on her head and picking up a hairbrush. She peeked at the caller id and answered.

“Hey, mom.”

“Why, hello there, sweetheart! Just calling to see how you’re doing.”

Eleanor planted herself on the bed. “I’m good. It’s raining here.”

She could almost hear her mother pout. “I still think you should come home. The city’s no good.” Her mother spoke again quickly, as though trying to cover up what she had said. “Of course, I respect your decision, and I’m glad you’re doing alright for yourself.”

A smile tugged at the corner of Eleanor’s lips. “I’ll come visit soon. Oscar’s going on vacation next week, but I might be able to come after that.”

“Ooh, it’s been too long since we’ve seen that boy. You’ve gotten along really well since high school.” Eleanor pressed a hand to her face. Not this again. “You know, I still don’t understand what happened between you two. Your dad likes him, too.”

Eleanor groaned into the receiver. “Not gonna happen, mom. That was a long time ago.”

“Oh, please, it’s only been a few years. Once you’re my age, years feel quicker than a snap of the fingers.” Her mom laughed on the other end of the line. “But I understand, dear.”

Eleanor released a sigh. When she had first told her mom that she had broken up with Oscar she had seemed shocked yet supportive, but Eleanor knew she was disappointed. He was the first guy Eleanor had ever brought home, and her parents were the type to get a little overexcited.

“Ah, you’ll find someone soon. In that big city of yours, I’m sure you meet guys all the time.”

Eleanor’s thoughts jumped instantly to Rokurou. Her gaze was drawn to the bedside table, where the single flower he had handed her was leaning her direction in its tall, thin vase.

“Eleanor? Are you still there?”

“Yeah, sorry, I’m still here.” Eleanor fell back on the bed, her damp hair spreading out beneath her head. “No promises on the guy situation. Things can be… complicated.”

Her mother hesitated in answering, but when she spoke Eleanor could hear the barely suppressed smile in her voice. “I see. I won’t ask what his name is, but you know I’m always here to listen.”

“I know, mom. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Be safe.”

\---❀✿❀✿♡✿❀✿❀---

The rice shipment was on time. The vendor stood in front of Rokurou, his hat clutched in his hands, apologizing profusely about the last few days until Rokurou held up a hand to stop him.

“It’s fine, really,” he said. “What’s important is that we got it eventually, and it’s here now.” Rokurou smiled gently at the small man, who nodded and placed his hat back atop his head.

“It won’t happen again,” the man said. “I’ll get onto the delivery boys to be sure of it.”

Rokurou lifted the heavy bag of rice over his shoulder and turned to walk towards Abbey street. This particular rice vendor was by no means close to the restaurant, but getting the right rice was not an argument. It was well worth the walk. As Rokurou walked from street to street, he dreaded meeting with his father at the restaurant. Their fight the other day had not been resolved. In fact, it had accomplished almost nothing.

Rokurou sighed. He didn’t think it should’ve even been an argument, that the answer was simple, but his father and brother did not see it in the same way. As he walked the sun rose in the sky, and his shirt began to stick to his skin with sweat. The streets began to get busy, and Rokurou found himself wishing that he’d removed his shirt before grabbing the rice. He was well aware of the stares he got when he walked around like that, but he didn’t mind. His father, however, claimed it ‘attracted the wrong kind of business’ and lectured him upon his return. It was best he didn’t do anything to rile his father up even more.

But Rokurou didn’t think the attention was all bad. After all, he had caught _her_ watching him. At least, he hoped that was the case. They’d been working across the street from each other for over a year now, and before knowing her name he referred to her in his head as ‘the cute flower girl.’

_Eleanor._

It was too early for her to be opening the store, and he wasn’t even sure if she worked today anyway. The day before he had peeked in the window to see the blond man who worked there staring back at him. Rokurou had pretended they hadn’t locked eyes and moved forward, his chest heavy with disappointment. He quickly shook it off, reminding himself that they were nothing to each other, and that he shouldn’t be excited to see her there. Except he was.

He turned onto Abbey street, his eyes falling on the doorway of the flower shop. It was too early for her to be there, but there she was. Her bright green eyes darted across the street, to the door of Rangetsu Style, and darted back so quickly that Rokurou could’ve imagined it. He convinced himself that he probably had.

A familiar blonde head appeared from the narrow alley beside the shop, seemingly waiting for Eleanor to arrive before she popped out. The two women stopped on the sidewalk to talk, and as Rokurou drew near he shifted the rice on his shoulder, standing up just a little straighter. He glanced down, finding his shirt stuck tightly to his midsection, outlining his abs. Perfect.

“Eleanor!” he called out from the other side of the street, beaming in her direction. Her head whipped around, her pigtails swinging wildly around her head. He threw his hand up to wave, and she raised a tentative hand in response. Her eyes were wide, and the skin of her cheeks began to pinken. Magilou made no attempt to hide her dropped jaw, head flipping between the two of them. Rokurou turned to enter the restaurant, and could just overhear Magilou calling Eleanor a liar.

He slid the door shut behind himself and laid the bag down, stretching his back and rubbing the shoulder he had been carrying the rice on. The restaurant was dark, the chairs still lifted on top of the tables from cleanup the night before.

“The flower shop girl?”

Rokurou’s head snapped to the direction of the voice, finding his oldest brother sitting in a booth by the window. He was leaning into the sill with his chin in his hand, eyes narrowed in concentration as they focused across the street.

“I thought you were through with all that, Rokurou. Or was I wrong?”

Rokurou walked towards the booth, placing his hand on the table before his brother. He spoke slowly, his tone suddenly serious. “I am. And it’s none of your business, Shigure.”

Shigure didn’t move except for his eyes, which slid from the girl across to street to his brother. “You can’t be serious.”

“Stay out of it.”

Shigure shifted in his seat, facing Rokurou. “You can’t expect father to take you seriously if you’re distracted by something like that. Are you serious about your goal, or aren’t you?” His voice remained quiet, but Rokurou could hear the heat in his words.

“Keep talking like that and I’ll think you might be supporting me,” Rokurou said between clenched teeth. “Of course, I know that. My goals haven’t changed.”

The two brothers stared at each other in silence, neither one of them so much as blinking. Rokurou could feel the tension in his shoulders. He was getting riled up, and he knew that was Shigure’s goal. Their silent war waged until their father emerged from the kitchen.

“Do I have to do everything here myself?” he yelled from the door. “Rokurou, Shigure, get to work!”

After another long second, Rokurou forced his eyes away from his brother’s. “This isn’t over,” he said, just loud enough for Shigure to hear him.

“I didn’t think it was.”

\---❀✿❀✿♡✿❀✿❀---

“Welcome to Abbey Arrangements.”

Eleanor smiled at the customers who stepped through the door. They nodded her direction sheepishly and moved to peruse the flowers, whispering to themselves as they caressed the gentle petals of roses and placed their noses against buds of sunflowers.

It had been a slow day. Magilou hung around until the early afternoon lecturing her about secrets and safe sex, neither of which were topics Eleanor wished to discuss with her. Eleanor returned to the work she was doing. She had almost finished cleaning their freshest delivery of flowers, and there were still dead leaves to remove on the displays.

The door rang and Eleanor turned with a smile. The owner of the shop walked in, holding the door open for the customers who had entered not long before as they left.

“Celica! It’s been a while since you’ve come by the store.”

Celica smiled gently, her straight black bangs shifting as she tilted her head. She was taller than Eleanor, with calming, amber eyes. She stepped into the store, holding her arms open for a hug. Eleanor complied, leaning into her arms. Celica had a warm, radiant presence that followed her wherever she went, and she treated everyone she crossed as family.

“It’s good to see you, Eleanor,” she said into her hair, giving her a squeeze before releasing her. “Sorry I haven’t been by in a while—you know how lonely Arthur gets when I’m not around.”

Celica smiled as she spoke, and Eleanor couldn’t help but smile back. “A family is like a job all its own, isn’t it?”

Celica’s smile grew, excitement lighting her eyes. “Actually, I have a bit of news.” She placed her hands on her stomach, beaming from ear to ear. “That family is about to get a little bigger.”

Eleanor froze, her eyes dropping to Celica’s hands and back to the smile on her face. “Are you serious?” she said, her voice barely containing her own excitement.

“It’s a boy,” she said, nodding. Eleanor reached out to hug the other woman again, giddy with happiness for her friend.

“I’m so happy for you two!” She said. “What did Velvet and Laphicet say?”

“Oh, I’m not sure who’s more excited, me or them.”

Both women laughed, releasing one another, and spoke until the sun left the sky. Celica idly helped Eleanor with her work while they caught up, promising to meet up again soon for the baby shower.

“I would love for you to make some arrangements for the shower,” Celica said, smiling. “Yours always have something special about them.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, Celica, I couldn’t possibly. Are you sure?”

“I am. I’m far too busy planning everything else—honestly, if you would do it it’d be one less chore on my list.” She laughed softly. “Would you mind? I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”

“Of course, I will,” Eleanor said quickly. “I’d be honored to.”

“Great,” Celica said, clapping her hands together. “I’ve been craving crab rangoons. Are you okay with sushi?”

Eleanor cocked her head as she thought. “Is seafood safe to eat during pregnancy?”

Celica rolled her eyes, smirking playfully. “Don’t worry, I’ve gotten the lecture from Velvet already. It’s crab sushi only for me, just to be safe.”

Eleanor smiled warily. “I’m not a fan of sushi, to be honest, but I might not have tried any with crab.”

“Well, it’s on me tonight, so no better time to try, right?” Celica winked at her. “If you don’t like it I’ll buy extra rangoons for you, too.” Eleanor quickly tried to persuade Celica that it wouldn’t be worth her money if she ended up not liking it, but Celica merely waved her off. “It’s fine, really,” she said. “My treat, remember?” They locked up the store together. Eleanor took a deep breath of the crisp night air, releasing with it all the stiffness of work.

“Come on, or you’ll get left behind,” Celica said, reaching for Eleanor’s hand. “It’s right across the street.”

Light pooled on the street from the windows of Rangetsu Style, soft and inviting. Eleanor’s heart jumped into her throat. Somehow, she hadn’t made the connection that they would be going _there_. She wasn’t ready. She had soil on her jeans. Her hair was coming loose from her pigtails and she didn’t have a comb.

Celica dragged her across the street and into the warm light, sliding the door open. The smell of fresh tempura and rice met them at the door, instantly causing Eleanor’s mouth to water. “Haven’t you been here before?” Celica asked as Eleanor’s eyes swept through the restaurant, taking in the scenery. She shook her head in response. The interior was traditional, with beautiful wooden tables and booths, and the walls were adorned with intricate decorations. The dark wood was accented by red dividers between the booths, and as Eleanor stood in awe Celica moved forward. “Table for two, please.”

There was no shortage of customers in the restaurant, despite the late hour. They were shown to a table in the back, by a large pair of doors that she guessed led to the kitchen. As they walked to their table, they passed a long bar crowded with bodies. Eleanor glanced over the heads of the customers, and her eyes landed on a man on the other side of the bar.

He looked like Rokurou, but older. He was wearing a chef’s coat, his long black hair tied in a bun behind his head. His eyes were narrowed in concentration are he slid a large knife beneath the flesh of a fish laying on the counter, everyone at the bar seeming to hold their breath as he worked. Eleanor watched the display until they moved past it to their table in the back. They were seated and handed menus.

Celica flipped open the menu immediately, her finger scanning the page until she found what she was looking for. “Let’s see,” she mumbled. “If you want to try the crab rolls,” She flipped the menu around on the table, pointing at the neat text. “The California Roll is good, or you could just get the snow crab one. There’s a lot of options, and there’s vegetarian ones, too.”

As Celica rambled on about the different rolls she’d had at this restaurant, Eleanor let her eyes wander. She had definitely seen Rokurou entering the store that morning, but that didn’t mean he was still there. She found herself looking for him nonetheless.

Celica reached across the table and touched Eleanor’s hand to get her attention. “You seem anxious. Everything okay?” Celica’s eyes were wide with concern, and Eleanor quickly shook it off.

“Sorry, I guess I’m just… distracted.”

Celica’s eyes focused over the other woman’s shoulder, and a smile smirk manifested on her lips. “Oh, I see. I would be too, if I was just a little younger.” She giggled into her hand.

Eleanor followed her gaze. Across the restaurant, Rokurou was walking towards them. His eyes met Eleanor’s and he grinned, raising his hand in greeting.

“A friend of yours?” Celica whispered, her hand still covering her mouth. Eleanor could hear her smile.

“Not really,” Eleanor said, quickly breaking eye contact with Rokurou and focusing on the menu in front of her. “He just came into the store the other day.”

“Good evening, ladies.” Rokurou was standing next to them now, leaning into a short bow. “Are you ready to order?”

Celica began to speak, ordering her rangoons. Rokurou nodded, jotting it down in a small notebook. Eleanor could feel his dark eyes on her as she desperately skimmed the menu. What was it she was going to order?

Celica came to her rescue. “Let’s get two rolls to share,” she said. She listed a few off that they had discussed, and Eleanor nodded blindly.

“They all sound good,” she said. She watched Rokurou scribble their order down, and when he looked back up they made eye contact again.

“They are,” he said. “I’ll make them myself.” His smile was like a stab to her heart, and then he was gone, walking towards the kitchen. Eleanor swallowed hard, trying to calm herself.

Celica watched Rokurou walk away from their table. “He is _cute_ ,” she said. She looked Eleanor up and down over the table, catching on to the pink in her cheeks. “Are you two close?”

Eleanor held her hands up in the air between them, shocked that Celica would even ask her such a question. “We aren’t, no! I don’t even really—I mean, I’m not sure if he even remembers my name, and we certainly aren’t close, so…” Eleanor trailed off, silently begging for Celica to change the topic.

She laughed. “So you’re not interested in him?

Eleanor panicked, trying to find the quickest way to end this train of conversation. “N—no, of course not.”

Celica looked satisfied with her answer, narrowing her eyes at Rokurou’s back as he attended to other customers. “If it’s alright with you, then,” she said, “do you Velvet would like him?”

Eleanor blinked. “What?”

“I mean, do you think I should introduce them? She’s never had a boyfriend or anything, but she doesn’t exactly get out much, either. Maybe I’ll bring her next week and see what she thinks.”

Celica looked serious. Rationally, Eleanor pushed panic out of her heart. She had always been the type to forfeit in these types of situations. If Rokurou and Velvet hit it off and were happy, then she should be happy for them. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d ended something she wanted for someone else’s sake.

Rokurou returned from the kitchen, and the sight of him ached. She wasn’t entitled to him, but that didn’t mean she would be happy about it in the event that anything _did_ happen.

Rokurou placed Celica’s rangoons on the table between them and told them he’d be right back. He reemerged with two ornate plates of sushi. He stood close to Eleanor as he set them down, the edge of his coat brushing her knee. She held extremely still until he handed them their chopsticks. Celica pulled one of the plates closer to her, and he put them besides the plate. For Eleanor, however, he held them in the air between them until she reached up to take them from his hand. Their fingers brushed, and she quickly placed the chopsticks on the table.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, her eyes glued to the roll before her. “It looks really good,” she said, sliding the chopsticks out of their sleeve.

“Oh, you don’t need those,” Celica said, carefully pulling a piece off her roll with her fingers. “Sushi is a finger food!” She dipped the roll into a shallow dish of soy sauce, waiting for it to drip into the dish before moving it. “Not that I’m any good with chopsticks, anyway.”

Eleanor held the chopsticks awkwardly in her fingers, trying to figure out exactly how to hold them. Rokurou watched her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Need some help?” he asked.

“No, I’ve got it,” she said, her cheeks pinkening. She fumbled with the chopsticks until Rokurou reached out, placing his hand over hers.

Her heart skipped a beat. Carefully, gently, he positioned her fingers for her. “Like this,” he said, his breath hot on her ear. His hands were big compared to hers, his fingers long and calloused. They were warm.

He pulled away, satisfied with how she was holding her chopsticks. Eleanor glanced at him and tried them out, but the roll slipped between the two sticks. He chuckled at her attempts. “It’s alright,” he said. “They can take some getting used to.” He turned to address them both, rather than just Eleanor. “Let me know if you ladies need anything else, alright?”

Eleanor managed to eat the roll with her chopsticks, and the taste was completely different from the sushi she had tried before. This was good, really good, and she found herself regretting all the lunch breaks she never spent at this restaurant. They cleaned their plates quickly, and Celica waved for the check. Rokurou swept by, dropping the little book before her. Before he could turn and leave, Celica caught him.

“Excuse me,” she said. “I know it’s going to sound a little strange and I _swear_ I’m asking for a friend,” she held up her left hand, showing off the ring on her fourth finger. Rokurou glanced between the two women, his brows meeting in confusion. “Are you single?”

Eleanor choked on her water. She coughed into her hand violently, her heart racing. As timid as Celica seemed, she could be very bold. Celica reached across the table and held Eleanor’s arm, concerned, until Eleanor shook her off. Her face was on fire, and she trained her eyes directly on the empty plate in front or her. The blood rushed through her ears, desperate for the moment to be over.

Rokurou developed a blush all his own. It was faint, unlike Eleanor’s, and he seemed to be looking anywhere but at Eleanor, who was doing much the same. “Yeah,” he said, slowly. “I am.” He rubbed the back of his head. “I’m actually, uh, free tomorrow night. If you want.”

“Wonderful!” Celica said, clapping her hands together. “Can I have her meet you at the flower shop across the street? Around six?”

“That’s fine,” he said. He glanced at Eleanor, but her eyes were still trained to the plate. Celica didn’t seem to notice.

“Well,” she said. “See you at six!”

They left the restaurant quickly after, and Eleanor’s hands never stopped shaking. When they were outside, standing on the street with their breath fogging in the cool night air, Celica laughed. “That was so easy!” she said. “I didn’t expect him to agree to a blind date so readily. I’d better get home and tell Velvet, hopefully she won’t be too upset with me.”

“Celica,” Eleanor said quietly, “I think he meant me.” Her own voice sounded distant. There was no way he did—but he might have.

Celica didn’t seem to hear, gushing as she scrolled through her phone. “I’m calling Arthur. Thank you so much for going out to eat with me tonight,” she said, smiling.

She meant well. She really did, and Eleanor knew that if she just spoke a little louder, admitted to Celica that she wanted to go with him tomorrow instead of Velvet, or even stopped her and made her realize the blush on her cheeks wasn’t from the cold, she would stop. She would drop it in a second.

But she was already walking down the street in the direction of her house. “Arthur,” she said into the phone. “You won’t believe it!”

Eleanor turned the other way, her legs moving automatically to take her home. It was only a few blocks from her apartment. The air bit her skin as she walked quickly through the empty streets, feeling something dangerous welling up inside herself. She wouldn’t allow herself to be angry or sad over the situation she had put herself in. She hadn’t fought it, hadn’t so much as spoken her mind, but despite how much she wished she could, she couldn’t bring herself to wish them well.

It wasn’t like when she let Oscar go. This feeling was fresh, new, _raw_ —and it hurt.


	3. Daffodils

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daffodil: New Beginnings

Eleanor sat on her couch, trying to focus on reading the book she had laid out in her lap. She had read and reread the same page, trying to absorb the words but always losing her place as her thoughts trailed off. It had been a quiet day. Celica had called and left her the message not to come into work, that she would be there all day with her sister. Eleanor was grateful, but her body ached to _do_ something.

The day passed by slowly, the sun’s rays waning across the coffee table as hours lulled by. She tried not to look at the clock. Eleanor picked a cup of tea off the table and spat it back into the cup when she discovered it cold. She sighed, walking to the kitchen and dumping the remains down the sink.

She watched as the murky liquid leaked into the drain, and long after it was gone she found herself staring still. Her jaw was tight and her brow furrowed as she fought away thoughts of what must be happening right at that moment: Celica giddy, preparing Velvet for a date; Rokurou arriving at the shop with a look of confusion spread across his face. Or maybe not. Perhaps he hadn’t meant for her to receive that particular invitation, after all.

Eleanor turned from the sink, her eyes landing on the clock on the adjacent wall: twenty minutes past six. She stared blankly, watching the second-hand tick away, moving into the future slowly but quicker than her.

“What the hell am I doing?”

Spurred on by a sudden anger at herself, Eleanor ran to her room, sliding her feet into a pair of flats. She was going to the shop. She would confront Celica and apologize to her. She would be honest with her and with herself. It was just what she had to do.

She put a cardigan over the lacey tank top she was wearing and headed for the door, pulling it open as she shoved her other arm into the sleeves. The door flew open and before she could stop herself she pressed forward, all the momentum of the day’s suppressed emotions pushing her onward.

No sooner had she taken a step out of the apartment than she was running into someone. She charged headlong into the person’s chest, knocking them back against the narrow hall as she tripped forward over their feet. The two bodies came to a stop after she had successfully barreled them both across the hall, the stranger’s back flush with the wall and her face in their chest, their warm hands on her shoulders to stop them both from falling.

Eleanor yanked herself back immediately. “I am _so_ sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t see you there or hear anyone knocking, are you okay?” She pulled the rest of her arm through the sleeve, straightening the top.

“No, don’t worry about it. I should’ve knocked sooner, are you—are you alright?”

Her eyes snapped up at the sound of his voice, her breathing hitched. Rokurou stood before her, his hands still on her shoulders, a look of concern plastered across his face. He cleared his throat and released her. His eyes traveled up and down her body as though to make sure she hadn’t hurt herself even though he had cushioned her fall.

Eleanor couldn’t find the right words. She had decided she would admit her feelings to herself, that she wouldn’t hide behind anyone else or sacrifice what she truly wanted anymore, but she didn’t know what to say. Her thoughts were scrambled as she tried to find them, and when she found something coherent to a sentence she spat it out rapidly.

“Rokurou, do you want to go—“

“Will you go on a date with me?”

\---❀✿❀✿♡✿❀✿❀---

Rokurou stood in the alleyway behind the flower shop, glancing at his watch. He was early. He sighed, leaning against the cool brick. It was better that he didn’t hang around the front of the store where his father and brother could see into the street. Rokurou loosened his collar, tugging the thin fabric away from his skin. He hadn’t specified how formal of a date this would be, or whether they would be going somewhere fancy or not, so he had chosen a dark purple button up shirt and simple slacks. Casual, but not so casual that they would be out of place if he decided to take her some place a little higher end.

Rokurou had been on a lot of dates. He had been with a lot of women. He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall of the alleyway. If Shigure knew he was getting ready to go out on a date right now, he would be furious. His brother had called him out on it the day before: He was passed those times. He grit his teeth, angry at the thought of his older brother questioning his determination simply because of his past. Him and their father both. If they could just look past the things he had done…

But they refused to.

He’d wasted enough time waiting in the alley so he wouldn’t seem eager, but he was stubborn, and no matter what his brother said, he would pursue his dreams _and_ live his life the way he wanted.

“Hey! Tall, dark, and out of his league!”

Rokurou hesitated. The tall and dark parts, yeah, that was him. But whoever the unfamiliar female voice belonged to, they were mispronouncing handsome.

A finger jabbed into his back. Rokurou turned slowly, looking own at the short, brown-haired woman behind him. She squinted at him, her gaze serious.

“Can… can I help you?” he asked, searching her face for something he recognized. “Do I know you?”

“You’re about to!” She said, pointing her thumb into her chest. “I’m Niko. And you,” she jammed her finger into his shoulder and he recoiled. “are not good enough for Velvet.”

All Rokurou could do was stare at her small frame, at a loss for words. “I’m… who?”

“Don’t try to confuse me! You’re… uh…” Niko’s features softened into confusion. “You’re the right guy, right? I was just going by Celica’s description of you.”

“Uh huh.” Rokurou glanced at his watch. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I’m about to be late, so,” He took a step back and Niko took a step forward. “Look,” he said, “Whoever this Velvet person is, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not looking to steal anyone’s girlfriend.”

“She—She’s not my—” Niko stepped away, the back of her hand covering her mouth and her eyes wide. A deep blush had formed at the very word, her freckles standing out even more strongly against her pale skin. “We’re just friends!”

“Alright, well, good luck with your girlfriend, but I have to go.” Rokurou turned quickly, his long legs carrying him to the front of the alley. He glanced behind himself, satisfied to find that he wasn’t being followed. He breathed a sigh of relief, pushing open the door to Abbey Arrangements.

The black-haired woman from the night before greeted him, smiling. “Oh, you’re here,” she said excitedly. “Come in, come in.”

Rokurou found his throat suddenly dry. He swallowed hard, moving deeper into the store. His eyes wandered through the flowers, searching for Eleanor between the petals. He had to admit, he was more than a little excited to see what kind of outfit she would pick for a date.

“I’ll go get her,” the woman said with a wink, noticing his wandering eyes. “You stay right here.”

She went to a door which he guessed led to the back. He could distantly hear the conversation happening on the other side of the thin walls.

“Come on, your date’s here! Aren’t you excited?”

“I don’t know about this, Celica,” came an unfamiliar voice. Rokurou furrowed his brow. Celica? Where had he heard that name before?

“Oh, come on, Velvet. You look fine.”

“That’s not—hey, Celica!” The door opened, Celica pushing out a woman who looked exactly like her but ten years younger. Her black hair was long and thick, and her eyes were amber beneath side swept bangs. The young woman’s eyes flitted to Rokurou, who stood in the center of the store in shock, and back to her sister.

The door chimed open behind him and he spun, his heart begging for Eleanor to step through and for this awkward situation to start making sense, but it was Niko, the girl from the alley. “Velvet!” She said, rushing across the shop to her friend. As she passed Rokurou she regarded him with an accusatory look, but laced with no shortage of her own confusion.

Velvet shook her head, walking towards Rokurou. “Come on,” she said quietly, taking him by the arm and leading him outside. Rokurou followed her pull, glancing back at Celica, who smiled at him.

When she said she wasn’t asking for herself, he hadn’t thought that she could mean anyone except Eleanor. Part of him was relieved, since he’d planned on asking her out properly, but that part was obscured by the panic he found at the situation.

Velvet was still pulling him down the street.

“Hey, it’s Velvet, right?” Rokurou stopped, and she turned to look at him. “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m a little lost. I think there’s been a mistake.”

Rokurou held his breath, waiting for any kind of reaction. This wasn’t her fault. To his surprise, however, Velvet looked intensely relieved.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” she said. “Sorry for pulling you out of there so fast, but the thing is, I know she means well, but I don’t want to go out with you.” She pulled a hair band off her wrist and lifted her long hair over her shoulder, threading her fingers through as she fixed one long, straight braid. She eyed him curiously. “I thought you agreed to a blind date. Why are you backing out now?”

“Because I didn’t know it was supposed to be a blind date.” He let out along breath, turning his face towards the sun. “But I went and asked for it, huh? I bet Eleanor thinks I’m some kind of womanizer now.”

“Eleanor? You mean the red head who works at the shop?” Velvet’s gaze turned from confusion to understanding, her brows jumping into her hair. “Oh, she was at dinner with Celica last night, wasn’t she? Oh, no.” Her hand flitted over her mouth. “Celica is gonna be so upset at herself. Come on.” She grabbed Rokurou by his sleeve, dragging him back down the street.

These women kept dragging him around.  Of course, he was never opposed to such treatment by a beautiful woman, but he had to fix this. He stopped in the street, Velvet stopping alongside him. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but I have to go find her. Do you have a phone number or anything I can reach her by?”

Velvet smiled. “Why do you think I was taking you back inside? Celica has her address.”

Rokurou followed Celica’s direction and soon stood outside Eleanor’s apartment door, his hand raised above the wood. This was the right place—he had checked the numbers on the door several times as he stood there, trying to organize his thoughts.

He was such an asshole. It was an honest mistake, a complete fuck up, but he should have been clearer. Instead, she had watched him agree to go out with someone else. And maybe she didn’t care—but he sure as hell did.

She had been working at the flower shop for a while, and he knew he was attracted to her, wanted to talk to her, wanted to ask her out, but he knew he wasn’t ready. If she thought of him as a womanizer now, she wouldn’t be so far off from who he used to be. He had stopped leading that life before he even saw her for the first time. But he was afraid, so he waited.

He hoped he hadn’t waited too long.

He raised his arm to knock, this time with a solid determination to follow the swing through. The door flew open.

\---❀✿❀✿♡✿❀✿❀---

Eleanor blinked. Had they both just asked at the same time, or was she hearing things? Could she hear anything at all, with the blood rushing through her ears?

Rokurou’s eyes were wide. He had meant to start off with an apology and lead into this, but their eyes locked and it spilled forth.

Eleanor composed herself, smoothing her hair. “I—yes.” She put her hands on her hips, eyes hard despite the red of her cheeks. “I want to go out with you.”

Rokurou could only nod, stunned by the concentrated, clear look in her eyes. He was speechless. Not only because she had said yes, that it had somehow worked out, but because she seemed different. She was resolved, and it made her that much more beautiful.

“Okay,” she said slowly, closing the door behind her and locking it. She turned back to him, clutching her keys. “Shall we head out?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter this week, but it's moving everything further in the right direction. Yay for the date next time!


	4. Hydrangeas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hydrangea: Heartfelt, honest emotions.

Rokurou had brought his car, which was parked behind the flower shop, and they walked back over to it quietly. As they passed in front of Abbey Arrangements, Eleanor looked up to see Velvet and Niko’s faces pressed against the glass. They turned to each other, their mouths moving on the other side of the window, speaking words Eleanor could not hear. Niko turned back to the window and locked eyes with her. She winked and gave a thumbs up.

Rokurou chuckled, and Eleanor assumed he had seen that exchange as well. She looked at him and found him looking at her as well. He smiled, devilishly handsome. “So, I gotta know. Are those two together or what?”

Eleanor couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his question. “Honestly, if you think I’m the sort to pry into other peoples’ love lives, you’re mistaken. I’ll support them either way.”

“Is that why you didn’t say anything? To Celica?”

They were behind the shop now, and Eleanor stopped. Of course he was going to bring it up. A large part of her wanted to just brush it off, but she’d already told herself to move past that voice. She was going to live her life upfront.

“Yes,” She said, determined to push the words out of her mind and into the air between them. She locked eyes with Rokurou, concentrating intently as she spoke. “I thought if it worked out with you and Velvet, then it would be alright, but I was wrong. I suppose I deceived you—I’m sorry,”

Rokurou was more than a little taken aback at her straightforwardness, but he smiled. It was refreshing. “I mean, I was pretty surprised. Way to put me in an awkward situation.” He meant it as a joke, but Eleanor dropped her gaze, clenching her jaw. Hoping he wasn’t crossing any lines, he reached out to lift her chin with his fingers. “Though, I gotta say, I was glad to be able to ask you out directly. I’ve wanted to for a long time. One awkward, mixed up situation wasn’t about to change that.”

His fingertips were warm on her face, and she was scared to move in case he retracted them. Her heart fluttered, and she wouldn’t deny it. “And sorry for earlier. For tripping over you. I didn’t mean to intrude on your personal space.”

Rokurou’s brow furrowed as he inspected her face. She was all hard lines and serious tones. He thought about those boundaries as he released her face and instead, very slowly, stepped forward. She stepped back and her back became flush with the brick behind her. Rokurou lifted his arm, not breaking eye contact, and put it on the wall beside her head. He lifted his other hand to brush a strand of hair from her face, revealing the red beneath it. He smirked, their faces close. “We’ll call this even, yeah?”

She gasped softly, clutching a hand to her chest. “Th—that’s not what I meant.” Her heart pounded in her ears, so loud she was afraid he would hear it. Her eyes dropped to the ground but she forced them back up, meeting his gaze. “But yes, we can call it even.”

Rokurou laughed, shaking his head. “Honestly, you just keep surprising me,” he said quietly. He positioned so that both hands were on either side of her head, locking her against the wall. He smiled teasingly. “You make me not want to pull away.”

Eleanor had quickly adjusted to his manner of joking and felt her lips tug up in a smile. She crossed her arms. “Well, whenever you’re ready to get dinner, I’m ready. Until then, should I make myself comfortable?”

Rokurou laughed loudly, and the thought at the back of his head pushed itself forward. _Kiss her_ , it said, incitingly. He thought about it, and then thought about all the reasons why he shouldn’t.

But he never got the opportunity to pick. There were a few quick footsteps at the end of the alley, and though Rokurou expected them to continue and pass them by without so much as noticing the two, they stopped. He turned his head slowly to find Shigure clearing his throat.

“Are you an idiot?” Shigure asked, looking down his nose at his brother and his not quite decent stance against Eleanor. Rokurou pulled back quickly, stepping in front of her as though to block his brother’s gaze.

“Knock it off,” he said, clenching his jaw.

“I could tell you the same thing. Do you seriously never learn?” Shigure stepped closer, raising his voice. “How many times do I have to tell you? If dad knows you’re out messing around again he’s not going to take you seriously!”

“But he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know anything,” Rokurou said, his voice low but growing angry quickly. “You’re an _idiot_ if you think things haven’t changed since back then. This is different.”

Shigure laughed in disbelief. “Of course it is. Of course she is.”

“Leave her out of this,” Rokurou said. “I already told you once, I’m not going to tell you again.”

“You’re in no place to make threats, little bro—“ Eleanor moved quickly from behind Rokurou. She stepped around and swung, her thin hand coming down across Shigure’s face hard.

The slap echoed in the alley. Both men were silent as they turned towards her, watching the heavy rise and fall of her shoulders. She stood up straight, putting her hands on her hips and flipping the hair out of her eyes. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” she said. She turned to Rokurou, who was just as shocked as his brother. “And later, you’re going to explain what this is about.”

Rokurou nodded blindly, a smile creeping its way onto his face. “Yeah,” he said. “I will.”

Shigure straightened up, rubbing his red cheek as he watched Eleanor carefully. “You scored a feisty one this time, didn’t you, bro?” He sighed, turning his back to them. “Honestly? Good luck. Maybe you’ll see what I’ve been trying to get you to understand this whole time.”

Shigure left the way he came, shaking his head as he walked away. Rokurou didn’t move until Shigure was out of sight, and then he slowly let his muscles relax and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“So,” Eleanor said, ”this is the brother you were so angry at that you came into the shop for a bouquet?”

“Yeah.” Rokurou clenched his fists, ashamed of himself for letting Shigure rile him up. It was a nasty habit, this short temper—but only when it came to things that really mattered. He tore his gaze from the corner Shigure had turned and looked at the woman in front of him. “You know, you’re kind of awesome,” he said.

Eleanor smiled and shook her head. “Now you _really_ owe me dinner.”

Rokurou led her through the alley and into the parking lot on the other side, where a black car was waiting for them. He walked around to the passenger side, holding the door open for her with a slight bow. “Shall we, then?”

\---❀✿❀✿♡✿❀✿❀---

They ended up at  a fancy restaurant. Eleanor stepped out of the car feeling incredibly underdressed, but Rokurou didn’t seem to feel the same anxiety. He closed the door for her and led her through the large glass doors, where they were met by a host and seated immediately. It was nicer than anywhere Eleanor had eaten before, and her face expressed as much. She looked around with wide eyes at the chandeliers, the glass tables, and the sleek evening dresses of the other guests.

Rokurou watched her with an open smile. “Do you like it?” he asked. “My mother used to bring me here all the time.”

Eleanor picked up the menu, afraid to look at the prices until she discovered that there weren’t any printed. That made it much more intimidating. “I’ve never been anywhere so… expensive. I grew up in a really small town. My dad’s a carpenter and my mom works at a grocery store, I couldn’t even imagine what they would say if they knew I was here right now.”

The waiter came by and offered them drinks, and Eleanor accepted a water. Rokurou requested sake, and the waiter nodded before dipping away. “Sounds quiet,” he said. “Do you have any siblings?”

Eleanor shook her head. “Nope, it’s always just been me. I would have loved a younger brother or sister, but it just never happened.” She shrugged, sipping her water carefully. “What about you? Is it just you and your brother?”

Rokurou gave a short laugh. “No, I have a few more brothers. I’m the youngest of six, actually.”

“Oh, wow!” Eleanor drew back a bit, trying to imagine growing up with that many siblings. “Where are they, then? I’ve only ever seen you and…”

“His name’s Shigure. He’s the oldest, actually.” Eleanor nodded and Rokurou sighed. He said he would tell her everything, didn’t he? The waiter brought the sake and two glasses. Rokurou ordered his food and Eleanor picked the first thing her eyes caught when she glanced at the menu. “Do you drink sake?” Rokurou asked, pouring a little of the liquid into the cup closest to him.

“I’ve never tried,” she said, tentative. Rokurou motioned to her cup and she nodded. He poured a bit for her and she took it carefully in her hands and lifted it to her lips, taking a short sip. “It’s not bad,” she said, wincing a little at the taste before trying it again.

Rokurou lifted his own glass, taking a long drink. “Shigure and I are the only ones left at the family restaurant. The middle four went off to do their own things, and we can’t really blame them.” He smiled, but there was something suppressed behind his expression.

“So why do you and Shigure fight, then? You said you would tell me.”

Rokurou laughed. “More like you told me I would, but, yes, I did agree. I guess if Shigure is going to continue to be an ass about it, it’s better you know.” He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed as he thought about how to start. “It’s stupid. It’s just really, really stupid.”

“I don’t care,” Eleanor said, sipping the sake again. “The stupid things are always the worst, aren’t they?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I guess you’re right about that. So anyway, it goes like this, right—Shigure wants to leave. Or, he doesn’t _want_ to leave, but he has other things he wants to do in life besides just run the restaurant. The thing is, though, he’s so damn stubborn that he won’t.”

Eleanor narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“Yeah, I’m not the best storyteller. Shigure has been raised from day one to take over the restaurant, and he is one hundred percent dedicated to doing just that, despite what he wants for himself.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. The waiter came back with their food and Eleanor was relieved to see that she’d managed to order some kind of pasta instead of accidentally getting something strange. “So, what’s the problem, then? Where do you come in?”

“Well,” he said, rubbing his temple with the fingers of one of his hands, “when we were kids, Shigure told me that he didn’t want to run the restaurant. He wants to travel the world, carve out his life for himself, that sort of thing. He made me promise not to tell our father, because he’d be so angry that another one of his sons was quitting on him and, you know, Shigure wasn’t planning on quitting, but dad wouldn’t see it that way. So I told my brother that I would take over in his place.” Rokurou paused to take a bite out of his food, a steak from what Eleanor could tell. He took another sip of sake before continuing. “Of course, instead of being relived like I expected, he got pretty mad at me. Said he was doing it partly for me and the others, so we could go and do what _we_ wanted to do. And, for a while, I did.”

Eleanor rubbed her chin with her fingers as she thought, trying to piece together the story as he told it. “So that’s what he meant by saying you were messing around again.”

Rokurou felt a jump of panic in his heart. “Eleanor, I’m not messing around now, I’m—“

“It’s okay,” she said, calm. “You’re not like that anymore, right?”

He was quiet for a second, his chest aching with relief that she actually believed him. “Right,” he said. “I’m not—but I used to be, and my father knows it, that’s why he doesn’t trust me to run the business.”

They ate in silence for a while as they both processed the words he had spoken. Rokurou meditated on them, trying to find something in his memories that would make Shigure loosen that resolve.

“I think I get it,” Eleanor finally said. “You and your brother are a lot alike.”

Rokurou twisted his face as that idea seeped in. “I guess we’re both just stupidly stubborn.”

“And caring,” she said, catching his eye. “But Rokurou, what do _you_ want to do?”

Rokurou leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. “You know, after that, I asked myself that question a lot. I still don’t have an answer, but I do know one thing.” His dark eyes were hard, expressing a determination his words couldn’t do alone. “I want Shigure to be able to move on. I like being in the restaurant and running it and doing all the works, you know. I know he doesn’t mind it, and that he accepted a long time ago that this was his fate, but I want to change that.”

Eleanor smiled slowly. “That sounds good,” she said. “I think I understand what Shigure wants, too, though.”

“Yeah, me too. I just don’t agree.” Rokurou rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about it, and after a while he groaned. “Hey, can we talk about something else? This is a little heavy for a first date, don’t you think?”

Eleanor smiled into her glass. That’s right: this was a date. As the night waned on, the two of them felt themselves growing closer. Long after their plates had been cleared they sat together. Their entire lives up until that point had passed without each other; they had a great deal of catching up to do.

Eventually, it was time to leave. They had been there long enough, and though Rokurou had not let her see the checkbook, they had already paid as well. Eleanor took one last look around the grand restaurant as they went to leave, and her eyes landed on a familiar face.

Eizen’s clear blue eyes shifted to hers as well, and he smiled her way. “Eleanor,” he said, waving her over. “I never thought I’d see you here.”

She laughed, excited to see a familiar face in such a strange place. “I wouldn’t be if not for him,” she said, motioning to Rokurou. He smiled and introduced himself just as another man came to the table. His hair was shoulder length and brown, and he had a neatly trimmed beard. The man approached the table with a smile. “And who are you two?” He asked, hands on his hips.

Eizen smiled at the man’s arrival. “I’ve told you about her, Aifread. This is Eleanor, from the flower shop. This is Rokurou.” He turned to Eleanor. “This is my husband, Aifread.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” she said, shaking his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Oh, I’m sure you have,” Aifread said, teasingly. Eizen smirked.

“Don’t get too full of yourself.” He turned back to Eleanor. “Well, I suppose I’ll let you two get on your way. I’ll be by the shop sometime this week.”

They said their goodbyes and went on their way. On the way to the car Rokurou glanced over at her. “Aren’t those the same Eizen and Aifread that own that museum downtown?”

Eleanor paused her steps. “Are they?”

“I think so,” he said. His eyes slid to her face. “Maybe next time we can go there… if you want.”

“Are you asking for a second date already?” she asked, leaning against his car.

“Depends, what are you doing tomorrow?”

Eleanor laughed, covering her mouth with her hand as she tried to catch her breath. Rokurou watched her as she laughed, focusing on the little things. The crease of her cheek, the flow of her hair against the wind, the short gasps of breath.

She was beautiful. He put his hand on the car beside her and leaned in slowly. He gave her plenty of time to pull away, to hit him, or to say something to stop him, but she just closed her eyes and parted her lips.

They kissed gently. It was a slow kiss, their lips pressing against each other for a few long seconds before Rokurou pulled back and opened his eyes, their noses nearly touching still. Eleanor bit her lower lip, her heart racing in her chest as her mind screamed at her, unsure what to do next. But she knew what she _wanted_ to do.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his lips back to hers.


End file.
